Chapter 72: Emergency Situation

As winter set in, Wu Qingsong bought a relatively intact insectoid corpse from a nearby mercenary group, aiming to give his warriors a tangible understanding of the enemy they were about to confront.

Every houndman, having heard stories of the insectoids from their elders and some even having glimpsed these beings’ carcasses brought back to Bota after battles, knew of them. Yet, there was a profound difference between hearing stories and witnessing the reality firsthand.

This particular specimen was an antman, but it vastly differed from the ant Wu Qingsong knew of.

Mounted on a wooden frame in a lifelike pose, the creature was about four meters long and three meters tall. Its body was comprised of three sections, the head, thorax, and abdomen. Four lengthy legs, bristling with stiff hair and ending in scythe-like sharp claws, extended from where the abdomen and thorax joined. Below the thorax, there was another pair of legs, similar yet slimmer and more agile, with equally sharp claws. Closer to its head, it had four pairs of antennae, each as thick as Wu Qingsong’s thumb and nearly one and a half meters long, covered in pliable hairs. The overall appearance was quite unnerving.

As an experienced mercenary explained, the ant people didn’t have hands, they used these four pairs of antennae to handle objects.

Inherently, they didn’t wield tools or weapons, since their bodies already encompassed most of the functionalities of typical tools and weapons.

Even the eyes of these creatures were encased in a layer of hard, transparent exoskeleton, making them resistant to blades and swords. Similarly, their mouths, typically a biological vulnerability, were guarded by large mandibles that blocked attack paths. These jaws could inflict substantial damage, capable of even biting through solid metal armor.

The antman’s body had a single soft area–its abdomen, situated at the rear. However, in the narrow tunnels, one rarely had an opportunity to maneuver behind and target this weak spot.

The antman’s scythe-like claws, when fully extended, measured nearly two and a half meters in length. This likely accounted for why the mercenaries commonly used war hammers that were three meters long. Yet, as the elderly mercenary explained, while ant people were the most prevalent type of insectoids in Esola, there were others much larger and more ferocious.

Wu Qingsong had his houndmen take turns attacking the antman’s carcass with swords, knives, axes, short hammers, spears, and war hammers. It became evident that swords and spears had difficulty causing significant damage to its sturdy exoskeleton, often sliding off its oily, curved outer shell. Axes were somewhat effective, but hammers proved to be the most suitable and effective.

“Unless you fully understand their movement patterns and can accurately predict their actions, never stray from the protection of the front line’s large shields,” the veteran mercenary advised as he lined them up in front of the antman’s body to share his experiences.

“Never aim for their bodies first, it’s almost impossible to hit a vital spot. Even if you manage to land a blow, it’s unlikely to be lethal. Their only weak points are the head and stomach. Merely causing a small cut or dent on their bodies won’t hinder their movement. For any type of insectoid with a shell, the first step is always to hammer at the joints in their legs,” he explained, showing them a hind leg that was clearly broken internally.

“See this? This injury was caused by the hunter who killed it. Unlike striking other parts, a war hammer can really make an impact on these joints. If you can break one leg joint and disrupt their balance, they will rely on their front legs for support, exposing vulnerabilities. Then, you should take the chance to strike the joints of the other legs and continue until all their legs are shattered. Only then should you smash their head or belly. However, I recommend targeting the belly since those four pairs of antennae can effortlessly tear you apart, and you’d want to preserve the head for the bounty.”

“Is this approach specific to an antman? What if we face several at once?” Wu Qingsong asked. “Given they are called ‘people,’ they surely operate in groups, right?”

“The strategy is the same even against multiple opponents,” the old mercenary explained.

Content with the payment Wu Qingsong had offered, and since these matters were not exactly secrets, the veteran warrior had no intention of withholding information. 

“Avoid carelessly entering vast underground areas, always keep an exit route in mind, and don’t hesitate to retreat when necessary. Just retreat to a narrower space and use shields to block any other paths, and the same tactics apply. The main rule is to only engage with one insectoid at a time. For smaller types like the cockroach or mite people, if they approach, just hammer them down one after another.”

After the seasoned mercenary departed, Wu Qingsong instructed Angus to test a firebomb on the antman’s body.

The bottle crashed against its large mandibles, instantly igniting flames that engulfed its head. Within moments, one of its eyes burst from within, releasing a viscous yellow-green fluid that coated its transparent eye shell and dripped down, presenting a nauseating sight.

“It seems like it works well,” Wu Qingsong observed. “Now, the real test will be in combat. We’ll intensify our training as he advised and begin looking for combat opportunities next month.”

The chance for combat, however, arrived much sooner than expected.

Three evenings after the practical exercise, a mastiffman soldier galloped in frantically, delivering a command from the regional law officer, Gilgood.

“Equip yourselves with all your gear and weapons, and report to Esola City at once.”

“What’s the matter?”

“The Eryk mine to the north has collapsed. Thousands of antpeople have emerged and are wreaking havoc everywhere. Hurry! We don’t have a moment to lose.”

Seeing the mastiffman’s alarmed state, Wu Qingsong grasped the severity of the situation. He quickly assembled his troops and ordered them to don their armor.

“Sir, we’re leaving, but what should we do with all these supplies?” Neil asked, reluctant to part with the stash like a miser.

Before Wu Qingsong could respond, the mastiffman messenger interjected, “What significance do these little items hold? If Esola remains unharmed, Lord Gilgood will offer rewards that dwarf these trinkets. Quick, move.”

The houndmen wouldn’t just take his word for it, but Wu Qingsong nodded in agreement almost immediately “He’s not wrong.”He’s right.”

Under the persistent urging of the messenger, Wu Qingsong’s squad, who had spent nearly three months in the old mine, quickly mobilized. Within twenty minutes, they formed into two columns and hastened toward Esola City.

On the once flourishing avenue, now engulfed in turmoil, were not the familiar convoys transporting iron ingots and ore. Instead, it was teeming with refugees and mercenary groups like theirs, all fleeing the impending disaster.

The civilians were herded into the open fields by the roadside, compelled to push forward, some mercenary groups even attacked those blocking their path, robbing them of their belongings. In the ensuing chaos, however, there was no one to stop them.

Amidst this turmoil, Wu Qingsong’s small but disciplined troop, donned in unusual dark red armor, swiftly caught the attention of many onlookers.

“What’s this group all about?” someone wondered aloud.

“They seem quite formidable,” another observed.

“Could they be a reinforcement unit sent from a nearby city to help us?” pondered a third.

“But why are they all houndmen and no mastiffmen? Can they really be effective in combat?”

“Even though they’re all houndmen, compared to the other mercenary troops nearby, they appear a lot more competent. A team like this can’t be anything but capable, right?”

Hearing such comments, every houndman in the troop instinctively stood taller, their strides becoming more forceful and assured.